Rival Passion
by Masterkillerb33
Summary: Now was the time. The days of fantasizing and daydreaming were over, now was the time to take action! Starting today Karin would win Sakura's heart!


_Sakura. Sa-ku-ra: the beginning like the hiss of a viper's tongue, the middle the sweet coo of a dozen doves, and an ending like the roar of a lion. Your name alone conjures up a violent storm inside me. Tornadoes and lightning bolts carving into my being. My body praying, begging me to find shelter from it all inside the warm depths of your heart._

_Our bouts together have created inside me a longing. A desire to hear your voice in my ears, to feel your breath on my skin, to look into your eyes with my own and see them carry the same lust and passion for me that I hold for you. Aw... to have those wishes come true, to have them become a reality, would tame the furious fire burning within me._

_To just have you in my arms would calm the frenzy. But I need more... I want more. I want you by my side. Not as a friend or rival, but as my love._

_Give into me, Sakura! Like I have to you! _

* * *

><p>The grounds outside the Kanzuki mansion glistened with water as the cold presence of night faded into the rising sun. Outside the cottage situated to the side of the grounds a group of jacketed caretakers took to maintaining the estate's surrounding plants and lawn. Thankfully with winter approaching in the coming months they'd have a well deserved break. But until then they were tasked with tending the land before the sun came up.<p>

You didn't want to be stuck working the grounds come midday.

And while the men and woman took towards their duties outside, inside the mansion another team of workers took to maintaining the place the Kanzuki family called home. Inside the maids took to cleaning the many bedrooms and washrooms, while the small handful of butlers took towards performing each of their own separate duties. One for the garage, one for the garden, one for the kitchen, and of course one for Karin.

"Miss Kanzuki... I can't keep going..."

Ishizaki, Karin's personal butler and closest friend, struggled to keep moving as he approached his tenth minute of nonstop running around the perimeter of the gym.

"We're not even close to being done, Ishizaki. And I'm not going to start giving you slack."

The family doctor had reveled a few weeks ago that Ishizaki's cholesterol's level was above normal. Karin responded by putting him on a strict diet and exercise regimen. He'd exercise with her in the mornings before she left for school and Shibazaki, the family steward, would ensure Ishi abided by the diet plan she had worked out for him in her absence.

"Please Miss Kanzuki..." Ishizaki panted in small dog like breaths as he struggled to put one foot in front of the other.

Karin sighed. "Fine then, but keep walking until I'm finished. _If you stop I'll know_."

Ishizaki gave the girl a nod and said his thanks as he slowed his pace to a walk. Karin continued her routine jog around the gym, the corner of her vision focused on Ishizaki.

"Walking is not dragging your feet. Pick up your pace."

"Yes, Miss Kanzuki..."

By 6:30 the two of them had finished exercising. After Karin told Ishizaki he'd have to make up for the wasted time tonight she grabbed her towel and headed to the gym showers. Inside the white tiled room she was all alone, her only connection to the outside room an intercom situated on the wall. Placing her school clothes on the bench outside one of the stalls Karin untangled her ponytail and stripped out of her workout gear.

Karin squeezed her bare shoulders. _I should schedule a message this week._

In an instant the shower sprung to life at a relaxing temperature and Karin let the warm water envelope her body. Besides sparring this was one of the few activities in her life where her mind, body, and spirit were able to find bliss among themselves. School, family, and exercising were all taxing processes that required her utmost attention. Studying habits, socializing with her parents, and how many reps she had to perform were things she needed to plan, needed to think about. Even when challenging other fighters she had to keep focused, making sure to analyze all their movements, their patterns, in order to know when to strike, when to win. It was only when sparring with her instructors, when her honor and respect was not on the line, that was she able to forgo logic and rely simply on passion and instinct.

But wasn't always the case. Not when it came to Sakura.

"Sakura." A smile formed across Karin's lips as the name left them and  
>faded into the fog of steam.<p>

Fighting Sakura felt different from the rest. Against her, Karin's mind insisted she forget about the logic of the fight; To just embrace the emotion of battle. At first she questioned this, she believed something was wrong, that somehow the girl had invaded her mind and played her. But then she realized what had really happened. The feelings she had inside of her were simply the influences of her heart, it telling her that it had fallen for the girl.

Karin leaned forward with her left hand braced against the wall of the shower as she lowered her head, her mind forming images of the girl she'd spent so much precious time and energy lusting for. Her short brown hair (_my hands undoing her headband_), her red converse (_the smack as I through them across the room_), her school uniform (_the sound of torn fabric as I rip it off_), and lastly her red sport panties (_her sudden exhale as I reach my hand down into them_).

She'd run through the scenario more times then she could count. It had transformed from a daydream, to a fantasy, and to a plan. But for now she was forced to keep it locked away in her mind, to be used as encouragement, a driving force towards her goal.

But the mind is a force to be reckoned with. It has the power to turn fantasy into reality, to inspire emotions and feelings about events yet to occur. That was the case as Karin reached down between her legs and gave into her desires; the thought of her overwhelming the girl, having Sakura give into her, allowing Karin to unleash the frenzied appetite she had for her.

"Sakura..."

_To have her grip tighten, to have her breath hasten, to have her mind submit, to have her scream my name as I made her body and spirit cry out in unimaginable pleasure. For her to know that she was mine. All mine. Just mine._

"Sakura!"

_So close I can feel you at my fingertips. You're mine, Sakura! You're what I need. You're what I want. And I always get what I want!_

"_Sakura!_"

As quickly as it began it ended. The fantasy finished, the song sung, the tale of what was hoped to come put back in Karin's head as a wave of ecstasy rushed throughout her body.

The walled intercom crackled to life. "Miss Kanzuki?" It was the family steward Shibazaki.

Karin sighed and pressed down the talk button. "Yes?"

"Ma'am, your breakfast is almost ready."

"Thank you, Shibazaki. I'll be down shortly."

Karin finished up her shower and got ready for school. She dressed herself in her custom tailored red and blue uniform while one of her handmaidens, Victoria, took to styling her hair in the usual ring-curls. It had become part of their normal routine over the years. After excusing Victoria and having her morning meal she brushed her teeth and headed off to school in the back of her limousine.

As she passed through the front gates of the family estate her mind wandered back to thoughts of Sakura.

_So close..._

"Something the matter, Miss Kanzuki?" Shibazaki asked. He sat behind the wheel of the limo as he focused his attention half on the road and half on the delicate package he carried in the backseat.

"No, Shibazaki." Karin gathered herself and sat up politely. "I was just thinking of something. A problem I've been dealing with."

Not to say Sakura, or the feelings Karin had for her, were a problem. The problem was that she failed to see an opportunity. An opportunity to sweep Sakura off her feet and into her arms.

Shibazaki asked: "Anything I could be of assistance with?" He looked at Karin through the reflection of the rear-view mirror.

"I doubt it. No, this is something I have to handle on my own."

Karin had yet to share her feelings for Sakura with anyone besides herself. Not for fear of her family knowing she was a lesbian, but because if she failed to have Sakura be her own she didn't want anyone else to know of that failure. Because a Kanzuki never fails.

"Very well." Shibazaki said. "But if you ever do need some assistance don't be afraid to ask."

"I'm never afraid, Shibazaki. You know that." "But thank you for the offer."

The steward responded with an affirmative nod of and then refocused all his attention towards the road.

The next five minutes were silent apart from the car radio Shibazaki had tuned to a morning news broadcast. With Fall settling in the weatherman warned everyone to prepare for a slow dip in temperature. As the station started covering a national news story Karin spoke up: "Actually there is somethingy you could help me with."

Shibazaki turned down the radio. "Yes, Miss Kanzuki?"

"Shibazaki..." Karen hesitated. "Shibazaki, have you ever been in love?"

"Yes, Miss Kanzuki. I have been in love."

"What lead to it?"

Shibazaki said: "I'm afraid I don't follow."

"What lead to the both of you being involved with each other? How did you two start dating? Romancing each other? What lead to the two of you falling in love?"

Shibazaki raised his eyebrows. "I simply asked if she wanted to have dinner with me."

"That's it? You just _asked_?"

"Yes, Miss Karin. I simply took the initiative. You might think love or romance is simply an act of fate, but while that may be partially true the truth of the matter is that like all good things in life love is something you have to work towards. It rarely just falls onto your lap, contrary to what movies tell you."

"Hmm. I see..."

"Now may I ask you a question, Miss?"

Now Karin's attention was grabbed. "You may..."

"Is the reason you asked me about love because of a boy you've taken interest in? Perhaps one at your school?"

"Perhaps..."

"Does he have a name?"

"That's your third question, Shibazaki. And I think for now the person in question will remain nameless."

As Shibazaki was the family steward, he felt responsible to be aware of any new persons involved in Karin's life. While he did trust the girl and believed she could defend herself if anything happened, emotionally and physically, her father had asked him to watch out for her wellbeing. Karin knew this, and she knew the more details she gave, the easier it would be for Shibazaki to figure out Sakura was the one she'd taken interest in.

The steward sighed. "Whatever you wish, Miss Kanzuki. Sorry for forcing the subject."

"Apology accepted."

Moments of silence filled the limo until Shibazaki brought up the subject again.

"Miss, if you would allow me, could I make a suggestion?"

Karin raised an eyebrow. "You may."

"If you are _actually_ interested in this person I suggest you invite them over for lunch one day. To see how well you two get along outside the classroom, and how accepting they are of the lifestyle you live. And it doesn't have to be a romantic affair; just a casual get together."

The advice Shibazaki gave to Karin made sense. There had rarely been a moment between Karin and Sakura that didn't involve school or fighting. And a casual lunch date would be the perfect excuse for the two to spend some alone time together, where Karin could accurately assess where their current relationship lay. Besides Shibazaki brought up a good point; Sakura, for all intents and purposes, was a commoner. And while that didn't change Karin's feelings for her, she realized the two of them lived a drastically different way of life. And she needed to gauge Sakura's response to the way she lived before she started putting plans into motion.

"Hm. I'll keep that in mind, Shibazaki."

"Well I'm glad I could be of assistance."

And Karin was too.

"By the way," Karin said. "I'd prefer if you kept this discussion to just you and I. I don't want mother or father to catch word of this just yet."

"Of course, Miss Kanzuki. My lips are sealed."

"You swear?"

"My word is my bond."

"I hope so, Shibazaki. I hope so."

That was all they had to say of the matter. Moving her hand over to the side Karin pressed the controls to raise the privacy window at the front of the car. As soon as the black screen rolled up, and she was certain Shibazaki could no longer see her, a sly smile etched its way across her face.

Now was the time. The days of fantasizing and daydreaming were over, now was the time to take action!

Starting today Karin would win Sakura's heart!


End file.
